Higher Education Trends To Watch Out In 2021

The year 2020 was a breakthrough in all the aspects of human life – social, political, economic and educational. The education sector has undergone a number of changes, some forced, some embraced over the last year, and will continue to have an effect on the sector for some time to come. Online learning introduced many new paradigms in education like virtual classrooms, learning anytime, personalized learning at one’s own pace and speed, remote examinations and admissions and many others some of which are here to stay. The education sector continues to feel the impact of these pandemic induced changes and it is given that some roll-over effect in terms of delayed exams, sessions and delayed admissions will continue to affect 2021. Let us see some other trends in higher education to watch out for in 2021.

Higher education and redevelopment focus on educators

The New Education Policy 2020 aims to create new learning systems, environment, and new learning outcomes for students. In order to ensure that the goals of the NEP 2020 are met, our educators too will need to undergo a veritable metamorphosis and unlearn a lot that they have been practicing over the years.

Therefore, the year 2021 will, in the light of NEP 2020, have marked focus on the re-skilling and up-skilling of all educators including those in higher education and business education. The sector that 'trains the trainer' is expected to see significant growth in-line with the need for new skills demand among educators that will establish a new education policy once it is implemented. The institutes and the teaching communities need to upskill themselves in time to ensure they stay on top of their respective fields.

Approved online degree for the first time

This is the first time that online degree has been approved by the government and it will promote unprecedented modernization and inclusion in education. Since companies need new skills for growth, this need will stimulate the executive education segment including online education in an unprecedented way. As a segment, it has seen significant growth in 2020 and this trend will continue in 2021.

Personalization of learning using artificial intelligence and machine learning

Learning works on a comprehensive framework focused on learning through visual mode, dietary mode or kinaesthetic mode – which holds true for learners regardless of the level of learning they might be in.

With the personalization of artificial intelligence-based learning, degree-focussed learning will be replaced with outcome-focused learning, which will unlock the potential of each learner and enable him to achieve greater heights.

Digital learning will bridge the teacher skills gap in India

According to AISHE 2018-19, even the current GER of 26.3% also has a shortage of 5 lakh teachers. Digital technologies are the answer to bridge this gap by expanding the reach of excellent faculty from excellent institutions using Aditech as competent.

Increase in demand for technology-related courses in addition to executive education in traditional domains

We will see steady growth in demand for courses in Strategy, Leadership, HR and Marketing in addition to courses in Cybersecurity, Data Science, Blockchain, Machine Learning and Product Management. The demand stems from the growing importance of data which means that there is a growth in demand for learning how to mine it, use it and how to secure it. Also, with the current prevailing economic trend, fear of losing a job and the need to stay ahead will lead to growth in executive education in traditional domains.

Academics in 2021 should think about students individually and inspire students to learn for the future and not just plough through individual semesters.

Ashwani Awasthi

Guest Author The author is Managing Director - South Asia, RICS School of Built Environment